Scowle

Last updated

Part of Puzzlewood, near Coleford, showing scowles overgrown by trees and moss Puzzlewood.jpg
Part of Puzzlewood, near Coleford, showing scowles overgrown by trees and moss

Scowles are landscape features that range from amorphous shallow pits to irregular labyrinthine hollows up to several metres deep [1] and are possibly unique to the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. [2]

Contents

They have traditionally been interpreted as the remains of prehistoric and early historic open-cast iron ore extraction, [3] but investigation undertaken by the Forest of Dean Archaeological Survey from 2003 to 2004 suggests that they have a primarily natural origin, which has been exploited by humans. [1]

Origin

Scowles have developed over millions of years. They occur in a broken ring around the central part of the Forest of Dean and are confined to particular geological outcrops of Carboniferous limestone and sandstone. Ancient cave systems were formed underground, before iron-rich water from the coal measures of the central Forest area permeated from the surface and deposited iron ore in crevices. The caves were then uplifted, eroded and exposed as a surface of deep hollows and exposed rock. [1]

Much later, humans –certainly from the Iron Age and later in the Roman period –recognised that iron ore could be found in veins and pockets in the exposed rock faces. In some places, when the surface exposures were exhausted they followed veins of iron ore underground. The ore was then smelted locally, using locally obtained charcoal, and made into objects or traded, by way of the River Wye or ports on the River Severn and its estuary. However, there is little direct evidence for dating the exploitation of iron ore from scowles. [4]

The most likely origin of the word "scowle" is that it derives from a Brythonic word crowll meaning a cave or hollow, or the Welsh word ysgil meaning a recess. [1] Welsh was the main language in the area before about the 9th century.

Characteristics

Types of scowle range from deep irregular quarry-like features to amorphous shallow hollows. Shallow depressions could be either scowles which have been backfilled, or could represent subsidence of the ground surface above old mines or natural caves. Small pits with mounds of spoil associated with them probably represent different types of iron ore extraction in the vicinity of the exposed cave system, or people prospecting for iron ore away from the main deposits. Small circular pits without associated mounds might represent natural geological features. [5]

Ecologically, scowles are now recognised as important wildlife habitats, being home to lower plants and ferns, bats and invertebrates. However, some are threatened by illegal dumping and off-road vehicles. [4]

The Devil's Chapel Scowles near Bream are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. [6]

One of the most accessible areas of scowles is at Puzzlewood near Coleford, which is open as a tourist attraction. Over a mile of pathways were laid down in the early 19th century to provide access to the woods, and provide picturesque walks. Puzzlewood, and "Dwarf's Hill" at Lydney Park which also contains scowles, are said to have been inspirations for J. R. R. Tolkien's descriptions of Middle-earth forests in The Lord of the Rings . Tolkien carried out archaeological work in the area in the 1920s with Mortimer Wheeler. [7]

Publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest of Dean</span> Geographical, historical and cultural region in Gloucestershire, England

The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. It forms a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and northwest, Herefordshire to the north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lydney</span> Human settlement in England

Lydney is a town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is on the west bank of the River Severn in the Forest of Dean District, and is 16 miles (25 km) southwest of Gloucester. The town has been bypassed by the A48 road since 1995. The population was about 8,960 in the 2001 census, reducing to 8,766 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puzzlewood</span>

Puzzlewood is an ancient woodland site and tourist attraction, near Coleford in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The site, covering 14 acres (5.7 ha), shows evidence of open-cast iron ore mining dating from the Roman period, and possibly earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clearwell Caves</span> Cave system in Clearwell, England

Clearwell Caves, at Clearwell in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, is a natural cave system which has been extensively mined for iron ore. It now operates primarily as a mining museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lydney Park</span> Country estate in Gloucestershire, UK

Lydney Park is a 17th-century country estate surrounding Lydney House, located at Lydney in the Forest of Dean district in Gloucestershire, England. It is known for its gardens and Roman temple complex.

Littledean Hall is a country house in the village of Littledean, Gloucestershire, England. It has been described as one of the most haunted houses in England and is thought to be the oldest house in the United Kingdom which is still occupied. Saxon and Celtic remains have been uncovered in the cellars. Part of the house is designated an SSSI as it is a proven breeding roost for the Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wye Valley</span> Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geology of Gloucestershire</span>

Gloucestershire is one of the most geologically and scenically diverse counties in England, with rocks from the Precambrian through to the Jurassic represented. These varying rock-types are responsible for the three major areas of the county, each with its own distinctive scenery and land-use - the Forest of Dean in the west, bordering Wales, the Cotswolds in the east, and in between, the Severn Vale.

Mining archaeology is a specific field well-developed in the British Isles during recent decades. A reason of ongoing interest in this field is the particular bond between regional history and the exploitation of metals. References to mines in the area exist in Strabo's works. However the first accomplished study on the topic was attempted by Oliver Davies in 1935. Other momentous researches were that of geologist John S. Jackson about mines in Ireland and Lewis, Jones in Dolaucothi goldmine in Wales, and the pioneering work of Ronald F. Tylecote. Moreover, in the 1980s and 1990s a new generation of amateurs and scientists began investigations in different locations in the British Isles, including Duncan James on the Great Orme's Head, Simon Timberlake with the Early Mines Research Group at sites in Wales and William O'Brien in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bixslade</span>

Bixslade, occasionally written Bix Slade, is a short, steep-sided, valley in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. It begins on high ground at Bixhead, near Broadwell, and descends sharply to meet the Cannop Valley at Stonyhill Green. Bixslade has been quarried or mined continuously for over 500 years and has been described as "one of the country's finest areas of extractive industrial heritage".

Buckshaft Mine & Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel is a 5.66-hectare (14.0-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998. This site comprises two separate locations. One is Buckshaft Mine which is near the village of Ruspidge. The other location is Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel which is near the village of Soudley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caerwood and Ashberry Goose House</span>

Caerwood And Ashberry Goose House is a 0.01-hectare (0.025-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England, notified in 1991. The site was previously notified as Caerwood, Tidenham and lies within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devil's Chapel Scowles</span> Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Devil's Chapel Scowles is a 44.79-hectare (110.7-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified England, in 1998. The site lies in the Forest of Dean and has four units of assessment by Natural England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dingle Wood</span> Biological site of scientific interest

Dingle Wood is a 9.95-hectare (24.6-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1972. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS). The wood is located within the Forest of Dean Forest Park and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Bow and Old Ham Mines</span>

Old Bow And Old Ham Mines is a 40.3-hectare (100-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine</span>

Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine is a 15.69-hectare (38.8-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigpool Ironstone Mine</span>

Wigpool Ironstone Mine is a 34.88-hectare (86.2-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring of Silvianus</span> Gold ring discovered in Hampshire, England, in 1785

The Vyne Ring or the Ring of Silvianus is a gold ring, dating probably from the 4th century AD, discovered in a ploughed field near Silchester, in Hampshire, England, in 1785. Originally the property of a British Roman called Silvianus, it was apparently stolen by a person named Senicianus, upon whom Silvianus called down a curse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinge</span>

A Pinge or Binge ("binger") is the name given in German-speaking Europe to a wedge-, ditch- or funnel-shaped depression in the terrain caused by mining activity. This depression or sink-hole is frequently caused by the collapse of old underground mine workings that are close to the Earth's surface. Unlike natural landforms, a Pinge is a direct result of human activity. The term has no direct equivalent in English, but may be translated as "mining sink-hole", "mine slump" or, in some cases, as "glory hole".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gloucestershire County Council Archaeology Information Sheet
  2. ↑ "Scowles in Dingle Wood 560m north west of Scowles Farm". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. ↑ "Commonly used in the Forest to denote the sides of coal— and ore—pits which have fallen in" (A.H. Smith, The Place-Names of Gloucestershire, 3 vols. [Cambridge University Press] 1964, quoted in Wilfrid Bonser's review in Folklore76.1 (Spring 1965:73).
  4. 1 2 English Heritage — Scowles Survey
  5. ↑ Gloucestershire County Council, The Scowles of the Forest of Dean: Archaeology Information Sheet
  6. ↑ Natural England SSSI information
  7. ↑ "Tolkien's tales from Lydney Park". BBC Gloucestershire. January 2004. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.